Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-06

ducer, and when the plantations are
ance to supply the demand in the market
of our whole country.
But again it is said we can not cure
olives to supply the demand in market
when brought in competition with those
from abroad. Our answer is, we have
made good beginning and we can ini-
prove, rs we have in the process OF cur
ing raisins. ;,
There are men still living who looked
on with incredulity, when the first
efforts in raisin industry were made in
Riverside; but who will 60 to-day
through the extensive factories there,
and not be convinced Of the ability OF
the people to cure raisins? So it will be
in curing olives, it can be done, and well
done too, by the producer who will work
carefully and intelligently until he mas.
ters his business. This work can also
be done by cooperation in factories,
where skilled labor is employed.
have been requested to give.
SOME PRACTICAL DETAILS,
According to my own observation and
experience. My. first effort in olive cul.
ture was made IN 1876, when planted
twenty well.roo ed cuttings of the Mis-.
sion variety, giving them all necessary
care and attention they made very
rapid growth, and in 1884 gave the first
full crop of fruit. Selecting two of the
largest and finest trees, kept careful &C.
count of the berries and when all were
taken from the trees in February,
/ e. -, h. k~,-
Ions. These olives after being prepared
for the table were retailed by two of our
mere hants in Pomona, for seventy FIVE
dollars. l sold my crop in this way by
the barrel, for seventy.6ve centsl per
gallon. For three or four years pre-
vious to 1884, had been making expert.
ments and reading everything could
find, explaining and giving directions in
the curing process. Being thus pre-
pared, when the full crop came, was
able 10 handle it without loss, and put
it upon the market at very satisfactory
price. This curing process is effected
with alkali, water and salt. A thor
ough knowledge can only be obtained by
working with q person who has mastered
his business.
Ao TCC5 WulCh DOhC ~ hOhvAy Al
1884, are now beeding under the weight
OF fruit, requiring numerous supports to
keep the limbs from breaking. have
been offered
EIGHTY CENTS A GALLON
For all that I can prepare for market.
Mr.. E. T. Palmer, OF Pomona, in connec-
ton with his preserving and crystalliz.
l., =, h,, sr aoo bo%,1ao th., olivas md sauAa
them to the large cities on this coast and
also into the Territories East.
My trees are planted upon gravelly
mesa land, and did not require water
until they bore full CROP and very lit
tie then, applied when the crop began to
color. Be it we'll understood that they
have good soil and thorough cultiva.
ton.
Irrigation required by the orange
would prove highly injurious to the ol.
i've. It does not do we'll shaded in the
least, by other trees, as we know it lives
for centuries and attains great size,
we should give it amply room for expan-
sion, should say thirty.three to forty
feet apart would be q proper distance on
rich hill sides, found along the base of
mountains from Pasadena to San Ber.
nardino. The olive will find congo.
nial home, and in return for care and at.
tention will bless the husbandman in
''basket and in store"
| So far the Mission olive holds its own
for making oil and also for picking.
The Franciscan Fathers know what
they were about when selecting this Va.
riety from all those in cultivation in
Spain. 1t will be difficult matter for
us to improve upon their choice for oil
or pickles. My neighbor, Mr.. e. E.
White, has thirty varieties growing in
his nursery; only one has yielded fruit
up to this date. We shall watch the
fruiting of these trees with great inter-
est. The tree bearing fruit this year
came to Mr.. White labeled "Picholine,"
or Olea Oblonga. am quite sure it is
q misnomer, as it answers fully the cata.
logue description of the Olea Subtra-
tunda, being very small, perfectly round
and intensely bitter, ripening its fruit
now October 18th, while the Mission is
still green, showing no sign of color. II
this tree bearing this small fruit is sold
by our nursery men for the Picholine, it
will result in great disappointment, as it
is entirely too small for picking. 1t is
used in France for oil.
Our nurserymen are charging from
twenty-five cents to one dollar tree,
according to size, age and variety;
planting thirty.three rect apart, forty
trees to each acre would be required.
II desired, / will give, in succeeding
number of the Rural, directions for pre-.
pairing olives for domestic use according
to the Spanish method, discharging the
bitterness by water alone.
And now. Mr.. Editor, in concluding
this letter, only add that my highest
wishes will be gratified if anything has
been written that will awaken thought
and interest in this matter of olive cul.
ture. Strangers are coming among us
to make new homes, and a word in sea-
son will sometimes help materially in
directing attention to the new forms of
industry peculiar to this coast.-C. l..
Loop in tie Rural alifornian.
pounyA Ootohar TX lS2f